THE LIME LIGHT OF ‘BUDDHIST EDUCATION'
Posted by- Abhisek Dutta (Assistant Teacher)
© ABHISEK DUTTA
THE LIME LIGHT OF ‘BUDDHIST EDUCATION'
Abstract:
Individual people who practice the Dhamma may overcome these conceptual distinctions and realize that the Buddha’s teaching is a method to see through dukkha [pain/suffering]. Nevertheless, Buddhism cannot be considered a scientific method – in the western use, or western sense of the word, because it comes from a completely different cultural background – with quite different suppositions. But when we consider Buddhism as a religion, it can be basically studied in two ways: from within, or from without. Non-historical religions, in the European sense, those not rooted in the European culture are traditionally studied from without – that is, scientifically, objectively – without any emotional or personal involvement. As Europeans started to become fascinated with the [East] about two or three centuries ago, the eastern cultures became objects of scientific investigation. Consequently, European universities developed the tradition of oriental scholarship, focusing mainly on the study of texts. Insofar as these texts are Buddhist, we may speak of the study of Buddhism in those institutions. However, these studies come under the rubric of linguistics or philology, or history of religion, and thus cannot be considered as examples of Buddhist education in the traditional sense – with textual studies as only part of the training. More recently, based on the study of various Buddhist sources and combining methods of philology and cultural anthropology, the science of Buddhology developed, which aims to study Buddhism in its historical context. Though these studies may greatly enhance our understanding of Buddhism, they do not go beyond the academic style of objective inquiry and, hence again, cannot rightly be characterized as Buddhist education. Individual development in a mental or spiritual sense, which is the ultimate goal of traditional Buddhist training, is clearly outside the scope of Western academia, which, thus cannot be expected to host Buddhist educational programs. Buddhist educational facilities provided educational opportunities across Asia. That tradition continues in the West to this day. Today, Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, is based on Nalanda University, the ancient Indian university. The mission statement of Naropa University affirms its intention to promote awareness of the moment through intellectual, artistic, and meditative disciplines; create and foster a learning community that reveals wisdom; cultivate communication; stay true to the origins of the original Nalanda University; encourage integration of modern culture with ancient wisdom; and remain nonsectarian and “open to all.” The Buddhist educational system seems to be as alive today as it was millennia ago.
Our situation:
"commercialization" of education and the industrial growth model of society, which today extends its tentacles even into the largely agrarian societies of South and Southeast Asia, demands that the educational system prepare students to become productive citizens in an economic order governed by the drive to maximize profits. Such a conception of the aim of education is quite different from that consistent with Buddhist principles. Practical efficiency certainly has its place in Buddhist education, for Buddhism propounds a middle path which recognizes that our loftiest spiritual aspirations depend on a healthy body and a materially secure society. But for Buddhism the practical side of education must be integrated; with other requirements designed to bring the potentialities of human nature to maturity in the way envisioned by the Buddha. Above all, an educational policy guided by Buddhist principles must aim to instill values as much as to impart information. It must be directed, not merely toward developing social and commercial skills, but toward nurturing in the students the seeds of spiritual nobility. Today’s societies in Taiwan and elsewhere in the world are rather abnormal, a phenomenon that has not been witnessed before either in the West or the East. Some Westerners have predicted that the end of the world will occur in 1999 and that Christ will return to earth for Judgement Day. Easterners have also predicted impending disasters that are similar to those predictions in the West, the only difference being the time frame, which is some twenty years later. Some of these are ancient prophecies, which we should not place too much importance on. However, if we view our environment objectively, we will realize that this world is really in danger. Environmental pollution has become a serious problem and now humankind has finally begun to understand the need for protecting our environment. However, the problem of mental or spiritual pollution is many times more serious than that of the environment. This is the source of worldly ills that not many people realize. The Chinese have a saying, “Education is most essential to establish a nation, train its leaders and its people.” For centuries, the Chinese have always believed in the primacy of education, which is considered the foundation for a peaceful and prosperous society. It provides the solution to a myriad of social ills and leads the way to changing one’s suffering into happiness. Education has a strong impact on the nation and its people. Moreover, elementary school is the foundation, the basic building block in an educational system.
Buddhist Educational System :
Wisdom is the crown and THE LIME LIGHT OF ‘BUDDHIST EDUCATION of the entire system of Buddhist education, and all the preliminary steps in a Buddhist educational system should be geared toward the flowering of this supreme virtue. It is with this step that education reaches completion, that it becomes illumination in the truest and deepest sense, as exclaimed by the Buddha on the night of his Awakening: "There arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and light."
IN INDIA
Buddhism became more popular and accepted, the number of monasteries increased. The most famous monastic universities were Nalanda and Valabhi, in eastern and western India respectively. These and other monasteries were usually supported by leading merchants; royal grants also supported monasteries. (2) Nalanda reached its peak during the seven century A.D. Hsuan tsang visited India between 629 - 646 A.D. and studied at Nalanda. Hsuan tsang reported that, at Nalanda University, the number of teachers was 1,500 and of learners 10,000. Indeed, Nalanda University was the center of Buddhist education. Another famous Chinese monk, I tsing traveled in India between 671 - 695 A.D. I tsing also reported that in monasteries, in addition to different sutras, Sanskrit grammar, Indian logic, and metaphysics were taught. (3) Also, Buddhist art as well as medicine were essential to Buddhist education. By the seventh century, the monastic life of monks and nuns had transformed to a more complex life style which required them to be more pedagogically competitive. One can argue that Buddhist "scholasticism" began in this period.
Buddha Education Foundation:
The Buddha Education Foundation intends to build a big Buddha Vihar(temple) in the National Capital Region (New Delhi, India) which can accommodate at least five thousand people at one time to pray to Lord Buddha. This huge project is to be completed by the end of 2014. The minimum land for all these projects required is at least 10 acres ( about 4 Hectares). The idea is to build such a gigantic Buddha Vihar to show this religion in proper light. Though there are Buddha Vihars but they are far from the capital of India. Hindus have thousands of temples and many of them are of big size and Muslims and Christians too have many. So far, why such efforts were not made by Indian Buddhists and even world Buddhist Communities also failed to discharge their duties. Thousands of Buddhist pilgrims and tourists throng in India but they don’t have decent and cost effective accommodation facilities to stay. One of the reasons of poor tourism in India is the expensive hotel facilities. Comparing the hotel expenses vis- a- vis other countries, India tops the world and the middle class and the people having ordinary pursuit of income can’t afford such expensive lodging. The Buddha Education Foundation has conceived the idea to have world class accommodation facilities in the National Capital Region with other allied infrastructures like swimming pool, massage facilities and business center at a reasonable price. It will have Buddhist ambience so that guests can feel completely at home and depart with new spirit , what Lord Buddha had taught the world.
IN THAILAND
The Buddhist Sunday School was founded and has been carried on until today in order to inculcate moral discipline and general knowledge in children. Many social problems, e.g., juvenile delinquency, drug addiction, etc., arise from a lack of moral training and moral cultivation. If children are acquainted with the Buddhist teachings and properly follow the Buddhist precepts, they will be able to attain peaceful happiness and live successful lives.In order to save young people from ignorance and worthless life, Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist College thus began the Buddhist Sunday School with the following objectives: To make young people and children familiar with Buddhism.To inculcate moral discipline and cultural appreciation in young people and children.To teach young people and children to lead their lives according to Buddhist principles.To train young people and children to work for public welfare.
IN CHINA
Chinese Buddhist monasteries began making their presence known in the first century A.D., as Buddhists gained acceptance. The famous Buddhist community of Lo yang was established during the last quarter of the first century A.D. The most well known and respected Buddhist monk in Lo yang was An Shih kao. He was a Parthian (a part of Iran) of royal lineage; An Shih kao arrived in Lo yang around 148 A.D. (4) He translated sutras, primarily on dhyana practices such as concentration, meditation, and the technique of breath control, into Chinese. Buddhist education is based on filial piety, as is the Chinese culture. Prior to the introduction of Buddhism to China, filial piety was the pillar of society and was supported by the wise men of ancient China. When Buddhist monks from India came to China and started to discuss Buddhism with government officials, it was immediately apparent to everyone that Buddhism shared numerous similarities with the indigenous Confucian traditions. Consequently, the government embraced them and requested that the monks stay in China permanently.
THE BUDDHA'S TEACHING
The Buddha's teaching contains three major points:discipline, meditation and wisdom. Wisdom is the goal and deep meditation or concentration is the crucial process toward achieving wisdom. Discipline through observing the precepts, is the method that helps one to achieve deep meditation; wisdom will then be realized naturally. Buddha's entire teachings as conveyed in the sutras never really depart from these three points. Buddhism encompasses the entire collection of works by Buddha Shakyamuni and is called the Tripitaka. This can be classified into three categories: sutra, vinaya (precepts or rules), and sastra (commentaries) which emphasize meditation, discipline, and wisdom respectively. Buddhism is Buddha Shakyamuni’s educational system, which is similar to that of Confucius for both presented similar viewpoints and methods. The goal of Buddhist education is to attain wisdom. In Sanskrit, the language of ancient India, the Buddhist wisdom was called “Anuttara-samyak-sambhodi” meaning the perfect ultimate wisdom. The Buddha taught us that the main objective of our practice or cultivation was to achieve this ultimate wisdom. He further taught us that everyone has the potential to realize this state of ultimate wisdom, as it is an intrinsic part of our nature, not something one obtains externally. However, most of us have become confused through general misconceptions and therefore, are not able to realize this potential. Therefore, if we break through this confusion, we will realize this intrinsic part of our nature. Thus, Buddhism is an educational system aimed at regaining our own intrinsic nature. It also teaches absolute equality which stemmed from Buddha's recognition that all sentient beings possess this innate wisdom and nature. Therefore, there is no inherent difference among beings. Everyone is different now because we have lost our true nature and have become confused. The degree of wisdom exhibited by individuals depends on the degree of delusion and has nothing to do with the true nature of the individual. The Buddha’s teaching helps us to realize that innate, perfect, ultimate wisdom. With wisdom, we can then solve all our problems and turn suffering into happiness.
THE AURA OF INFERENCE:
Buddhism flourished in Karnataka in ancient times, along with Vedic religion and Jainism. Ashoka Maurya (274-236 B.C.), the great Indian emperor, may be considered to be the first emperor of Karnataka as well. For a long time, it was believed that the region presently called Karnataka was outside the pale of Mauryan rule and instead formed part of the dharma-vijaya or lands conquered through religious conquests attained by Ashoka, where he subsequently erected edifices with inscriptions expounding the teaching of Buddha, codes of conduct, and welfare-measures. However the chance discovery in 1986 of inscribed edicts and several Mauryan relics at Sannati in the Gulburga district has revealed that the Krishna river basin in northern Karnataka once came under the direct supervision and rule of Ashoka. The Sannati region enjoyed the special status of raja-vishaya (king's division). Mahāmātras or supervisors were given the responsibility of creating cultural awareness, and providing education for the masses. In all the important divisions of his empire, the emperor directly appointed these mahāmātras. Sannati boasted of a mahāmātra1. Ashokan edicts were installed at prominent places that were frequented by people and caravans, and on or near ancient highways, in order to attract the most attention. Sannati in the Mauryan age occupied a crucial position and had cultural links with Vanavasi (Banavasi in North Kanara district), with Sriparvata (presently called Nagarjunakonda, in Andhra Pradesh) and with Sri Lanka. "Sannati," according to some scholars, is the modern name of Suvarnagiri, which is mentioned in Ashokan inscriptions.
References:
M. V. Vishweswara. “Inscriptions at Sannati.” Samshodhana, Dr. Chidananda Murthy Felicitation Volume, Bangalore 1991, pp. 723-743.
Thomas Watters. On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India. Vol. II, London 1904, p. 239.
Sukumar Dutt. Buddhist Monks and Monasteries of India, London 1962, p. 230, p338.
Epigraphia Carnatica, Vol. VII, Shikarpur 170.
B. Seshagiri Rao. Andhra Karnata Jainism, Madras 1922, p. 64.
Ainslie T. Embree. Alberuni's India, New York 1971, p. 173
Thomas Watters. On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India. Vol. I, London 1904, pp. 154-http://www.iabu.org/content/opportunities-and-challenges-buddhist-education-europe155.
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